Police: 90-year-old woman threatens to kill neighbor over leaves

MEMPHIS, Tenn. —A 90-year-old woman was arrested after a neighbor claimed she threatened to kill her because of leaves in her yard.

Bessie Bowen was charged with aggravated assault and violation of an order of protection.

According to police, they responded to the 2300 block of Larose Avenue in Bethel Grove early Thursday morning. That's where they met a woman who claimed Bowen had stopped by her house, pointed a gun at her and threatened to kill her due to leaves in the yard.

Police say it escalated quickly. The neighbor told officers she captured it all on camera.

The victim also told authorities she has an order of protection against Bowen following a previous assault. It was served in June 2018.

Bowen was arrested but later released on her own recognizance. She's scheduled to appear in court Friday.

"I never knew her to do anything like that before. Kind of shocked," said a neighbor on the block who asked us to hide his face.

He didn't want to say too much about the situation, just that he's known Bowen for years.

"She's always been serious about her yard," he said. "I never had a problem with her. I never seen or heard her do anything like that."

Bowen's family didn't want to comment, and the neighbor who called police didn't come to the door.

Neighbors seem to be aware of the problems and hope they're resolved without anyone else going to jail.

"I hope they don't send her to jail," a neighbor said. "She's an old lady. Just serious about her yard."